Chanukah traditions

[WibbleWobbleFlop]

A lighter topic...

I was raised and remain very secular. At the high holidays and Chanukah, my massive extended family used to get together for a "traditional" meal. These meals weren't remotely kosher because my Zaida refused to live life without shrimp or bacon and eggs, but we had traditional foods (challah, matzo ball soup, brisket, chopped liver, and rugelach). We didn't do much else, just acknowledged that it was a holiday. My immediate family used to do Christmas just because it was fun, and it always stood out more to me even as a Jewish child.

Anyway, I married a "Christian" who was also raised secular. We do Christmas, but I think I would like to start introducing our children to Jewish traditions as well. I think Chanukah is a good start, as the children are 3.5 and 1, so it's got potential to peak their interest.

How do you celebrate Chanukah with little ones? What sorts of traditions should I incorporate? It'd be nice to do something beyond "food".

You light candles on a Chanukah menorah, which has 8 branches (+1 for Shamash the helper candle).
Each day you light one more candle in the direction from left to right (but you add the candles to the menorah in the opposite direction). Each day, you only add the amount of candles which you will light, and you use the Shamash (the helper candle) to light them. For example, on Day 1 you add one candle on the space that's most right of all spaces, and the Shamash in its special place. Then you use a match or a lighter to light the Shamash, say the blessings and then light the candle on the left, and put the Shamash back in its place. On Day two, you repeat but add two candles to the menorah. On the eighth day of Chanukah you will have 8 candles + Shamash.

Here's a good guide with some background:
https://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/article_cdo/aid/103868/jewish/How-to-Light-the-Menorah.htm#Lighting

Good luck :)

Chanukah is definitely a fun way to introduce DC to celebrating. Everyone loves candles and you can get your DC their own menorahs. We have a pic of DS at about age 5 staring at the candles and it is just so sweet.

Chanukah is a gorgeous holiday for little ones! My DD has just turned 3, and is understanding more and more about the chagim each year.

We get a little gift for her (and now for baby DS too) for the first seven nights, then a bigger gift for the eighth night.

Dreidels and Chanukah gelt are always a winner.

There are Spotify playlists for Chanukah to get you in the mood.

Do you live in a place where they have public menorah lightings? Chabad in my city does one each year, and it's lovely.

I always think of Chanukah as the holiday of doughnuts and gambling

Dreidel is good fun to play and always nice to spend the time together playing a game. We would usually play cards too (pisha pasha / klaberjass / knock out whist / kalooki) but I'm not sure how traditional that is!

When we were little (chocolate) gelt would get hidden around the house to go hunting for but I don't do this with my DC - they do get gelt but I usually get a variety of small gifts.

I will definitely break out the menorah and dreidels. Maybe some chocolate gelt as the 8-day gifts.

Is there a specific story that would work well? I'm thinking picture book.

@WibbleWobbleFlop if you sign up to PJ Library they send your child age appropriate books around the festivals it's lovely.
Chanukah for us is about food and lighting the candles plus games (dreidle spinning) and songs. Chag Sameach!

As well as lighting the chanukia, saying the blessing and singing a song each night, we put up decorations for Chanuka, and add more for Christmas. I taught my dc to make paperchain people, and paperchain dreidels, candles and other Chanuka motifs. Although of course I was doing it at first, by getting the dc to do it with me over the years it became a tradition.

We fill the freezer with 6-7 different 'fried' foods - ie oven-baked potato products, like waffles, curly fries etc - which we do not normally have regularly, and have a different one with supper every night during the festival. Also donuts, of course. Dh makes proper latkes one night. He's better at frying than me!

The dc get a little present each night, not wrapped. Dh and I give each other one present. None are big presents. One night would always be chocolate gelt for everyone. As the dc got older, around tweens, we switched to each of us giving everyone else a present once during the festival, so each person takes responsibility for the gifts on one night. The remaining night is covered by chocolate gelt.

We play dreidel many ways. The traditional game of course, but also Dreidel Wars, which is just sending all the dreidels we have (a lot!) spinning up and down the corridor trying to knock others out of play or into another player's hands. Dreidel Record Breakers: how many can you spin in one minute/have spinning at the same time/spin upside down/spin on a teatray/etc. And not just in the evening. They become a special toy that gets brought out for a month or two.

Thank you! I have signed up to PJ Library and will be investing in dreidels! We already have a menorah and I know the blessing, so I will light the candles with the kids this year.

That's so lovely @WibbleWobbleFlop I hope you enjoy it all.
This year the Bear Factory is doing a gorgeous Chanukah gift box which I've got as a gift for DC. It's got a little gift for each night.

We always eat latkes on Christmas Eve. With goulash.

Oh and pączki.

I just ordered this for DD!!

@PurpleChrayne that's great! I hope they get loads of orders (I don't work for the bear factory!). I was delighted to see a Jewish festival celebrated by a well known firm hence I ordered.

@Aydel that sounds DELICIOUS!

My children loved lighting their own menorahs so we would have 3 going, it looked stunning especially on the last night.
And don't forget to leave the curtains open.

Chanukah is great for little ones.
when I was growing up and when my DCs were small we did ‘a present a night’ after the candles,7 small and one main present. Sometimes we just spread out presents from other people too! One night was usually chocolate money - Chanukah gelt!
There’s playing dreidel for small change or sweets, donut eating, latkes (the best!), depending on where you live there may be a public lighting of the menorah.

May have accidentally ordered the build a bear sets for my daughters who are far too old for such things! I've never seen this type of thing so had to get them!

Asda have a Chanukah range with pyjamas, bedding, tea towels and a cushion! Not seen this before.

😃Thanks!!!

@vjg13 that sounds so cool!